Monday, February 16, 2015

Sometimes Change Is A Good Thing

I am not a fan of change. I don't like a wrinkle in my schedule. I wish I could be more laid back and "go with the flow", but alas, it just isn't in my nature. In fact, when a wrench gets thrown into my plans, it tends to effect my mood in not so great ways. It's one of those things about myself that I don't necessarily like, but I know I'm that way, so I try to accept me for me. But even I have to admit sometimes change is indeed a good thing.

See, during the holiday time, we were supposed to have dinner and celebrate Christmas with our good friends and their kids. It's something we do every year, and we look forward to it so much. And luckily, my friend is a planner just like me, so knowing how busy that time of year gets, we always find a date early on to make sure we have it on the calendar before it gets full. Seriously, we had this year's date picked out in mid-November!

This is where out little story goes off track a bit. We found out we had a family obligation the same day we had planned our little get together. So, I had to scramble to get with my friend and try to find another date we could do it. Thankfully, we were able to, and the schedule moved on as planned. Well, then as it turned out, the original date happened to be the same one little man ended up coming down with a nasty case of the flu...so we wouldn't have been able to do it anyway. As it turns out, changing the date was a blessing in disguise. It worked out exactly how it was supposed to and we were able to celebrate with our friends and have a lovely evening.

I was in charge of the main dish that night, and this amazingly delicious pasta casserole is what I came up with. I love serving pasta casseroles when I entertain, or have to take a meal with us. They are so easy to assemble and either keep hot or bake off when you get there. Plus, with the change of date, I had a few more weeks to tweak this and get it just right. I've since made it a couple more times and it just keeps getting yummier and yummier.

If you are one of those people who don't let change bother you, I admire you. I try really hard, but it's just not in my nature. So, I will continue to like my schedule, my order, my routine and if something does happen to interfere with it, I will try to remember this case and how it was actually a good thing.

Preheat oven to 350. Cook pasta according to package directions. While it's cooking, in a large skillet brown beef until no longer pink. Drain. Season with garlic powder, onion powder, salt and pepper. Add sauce and stir to combine. Stir in cream cheese cubes and stir until melted and combined. Keep warm. When pasta is cooked, drain well. Spray a 9 x 13 dish with nonstick spray. Add enough sauce mixture to bottom of dish to cover. Add half the pasta, and half of each of the 3 cheeses. Repeat layers, ending with sauce. Cover and bake for 25 minutes. Remove, uncover and add remaining cheeses. Bake for 5-7 minutes more until browned and bubbly. Sprinkle with parsley. Allow to sit 5 minutes before cutting and serving.

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The Everyday Family

Meet Your Everyday Mom

I am the every day mom in "Everyday Mom's Meals". I am a full time wife and mother. Adam and I have been married since May 2003, but together since May 1997. We have two beautiful sons, Alex & Max. Alex is 12 and a VERY active young man. He is a Tae Kwon Do National Champion and straight A student. We just welcomed Max in August of this year, and he has completed our family. We enjoy spending time together, and some of our best times are spent around our dining room table eating down to earth, family friendly, easy to make food. Please join me in my kitchen, and on our family adventures!
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